The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1887-05-06
TWO PHYSICIANS:
One Of the Body and One OF the
Soul

Throughout his life. Dupuy tren. the
renowned French surgeon. proved him
self man Of action. We admired less
his genius for speculative research
than the prodigious faculty for applied
science which characterized his career.
His surgical discoveries, although mum
erous and important. do not admit Of
his being compared even with such
men as J. L. Petit Pott. or Desault;
but the marvellous ease which he dis
played in cases d the gravest concern.
the cxpcdicnts he had at command in
complications Of the most desperate
diseases. that admirable pronlptitude
OF eye. that infallibility Of judgment
and Of hand. placed him foremost
among practitioners in science where
practice Is 50 intimately linked with
theory.
1t will readily be granted that the
peculiar nature Of those labors to
which his genius had doomed him may
have reacted upon his character and
nodded Il. The man who, day after
day, held in his grasp the lives Of 50
many Of his felIew-beings and from
whose verdict there was almost no ap-
peal. doubtless found little to esteem
or admire in poor. suffering humanity.
Carrying out 20 the utmost his abSo-
lutte views Of positivist, Dupuytrcn.
in matters connected with religion. OBJ
stinately inveiged against what he
termed Utopian speculations. whenever
he found an occasion. however spc-
cious. TO do SO. BY degrees. his an
tipathy that way dcgenerated into
downright hatred. His high position
at the court Of the restoration could
not fail, however. to cxtort from him
some concessions to principles 50 irrev-
ocably espouscd. Here is an exam
pie: At mass celebrated in the private
chapel Of the palace Of Saint Cloud. one
day, Dupuytrcn. at the moment 81 cle-
walton. let fall with great clatter. his
voluminous ''Book Of Hours" bound
with massive golden clasps. The
Duchesse d'Ango'', ne. who was pres
ent, looked up and remarked:
There i N. Dupuytren losing his
But not this time. 7 rcjoined the Due
dc Maille. who knelt BY the side Of the
Duchessc.
This religious discrimination. TO which
Dupuytren seemingly resigned himself
with sufficient good grace. only irri-
tatcd him the more; il confirmed his
strenuous hatred Of ideas which were
opposed TO his own and Of those who
advocated them.
However this may be. Dupuytrcn
was hard worker; he was unrcmit-
ungly occupied, and few may boast
OF life 80 busy As his own. Summer
and winter he was up AZ five o'clock in
The morning. AT seven he was at the
Hotel-Dieu hospital. which he left at
eleven. After this he went his rounds
q visits, and returned home 10 receive
the sick In consultation. Although he
dispatched these visits with almost a
brutal celebrity his clients were daily 50
numerous that the consultations often
lasted far into the night.
One day. the consultations having
extended even beyond the usually late
hour, Dupuytren. worn out with IA
t'gue. was about retiring to rest. when
another visitor came to the door Of his
room.
The person was an aged man, Of cx-
cccdingly small stature. whose age II
might have been difficult to determine.
!i's full, ruddy face, whereon razor
naa never been required 70 perform IL
once. still bcamcd with plumpness
and prcttincss which. IN his youth,
doubtless recalled that peculiar type of
cnubby cherubim so often seen In
pictures 81 the immaculate Conccp-
t,on q tho Virgin Mary. Under q
c'osc network Of burrows was tiny
mouth. dclicately cut. and little Ro-
man nose neatly drawn; his hands and